logo
TEL Off-ramp To Pāpāmoa East Opening Early

TEL Off-ramp To Pāpāmoa East Opening Early

Scoopa day ago
Tauranga City Council is pleased to be opening the off-ramp from the Tauranga Eastern Link (TEL) to Pāpāmoa East at the end of August, months ahead of schedule.
The Council has worked with the project contractor, Minister for Transport Chris Bishop, the New Zealand Transport Agency and local MP Tom Rutherford to make this a reality.
The Pāpāmoa East Interchange is key to improving network connectivity for existing residents and will also enable ongoing residential and commercial development.
"The opening of the Pāpāmoa East Interchange off-ramp by the end of August, which is nine months ahead of plan, is a great outcome for our people and will help ease traffic issues," says Mayor Mahé Drysdale.
Meanwhile, Councillor Steve Morris adds that the rest of the interchange will be open and ready to use in early-2026, which will have 'a significant impact on improving traffic flows and ease of accessing the TEL from Pāpāmoa East".
'Mayor Drysdale worked with Minister Bishop to facilitate the early opening and I approached Tom Rutherford to ask for his help,' Steve says, 'and between us all, we've managed to get a great result for the community."
"By working together, we have achieved a good, pragmatic outcome for our community, and I thank everyone for saying yes and getting this done," says Mahé.
The Council's Programme Director: Major Transport Projects, Chris Barton, says construction is progressing well, with costs also forecast to be within budget.
More information is available on the Lets Talk Tauranga website: https://letstalk.tauranga.govt.nz/projects/the-p%C4%81p%C4%81moa-east-interchange
.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Growth In The District - What It Means For All Of Us
Growth In The District - What It Means For All Of Us

Scoop

time7 hours ago

  • Scoop

Growth In The District - What It Means For All Of Us

At Council, we often get asked about growth and what it means for us in the Horowhenua. Here's a breakdown of how we're growing, where it's coming from and what we're doing to plan for it. If you were to compare Horowhenua to a life stage, we would be that slightly awkward, pimply faced teen. We'd be trying out different hair colours, growing out of school uniforms, listening to angsty teen anthems and fuelled on bowls of Weetbix, frozen dumplings and endless packets of two-minute noodles. As a district, we're in between big and small. We have a beautiful mix of urban and rural, made up of towns and settlements that are home to close knit communities. But it won't be long before Levin (our biggest town) is on its way to becoming a city. It's hard to imagine what that change will look like for us, or what it will mean for our communities, houses, town centres, schools and businesses. Speak to one of the many 65+ year olds that call Horowhenua home and they will say it wasn't that long ago that St Annes Street in Levin backed onto paddocks filled with sheep and you could buy your first house for the same price as a ride on lawn mower in today's currency. So how fast are we actually growing? Up until about 2014, Horowhenua had almost no growth, according to Census data, between 1991 and 2013 our population grew by just 200. This began to change, when we saw our population jump by more than 3000 in 2018 – a trend that has continued in the 2023 Census when our population increased by another 4000. Growth forecasts have pulled back since 2021, lowering the population and household numbers originally forecast, but Horowhenua is predicted to continue as the fastest growing district in the Manawatū-Whanganui region, and to grow strongly alongside the greater Wellington region councils. Our district's population is projected to grow at a rate of 1.5% per annum from 2025 until 2030, increasing to 2.1% per annum until 2044. This means our population will increase to more than 54,000 by 2044 and more than 66,000 by 2054. According to the 95th growth rate, in the first 10 years of the Long Term Plan our population is expected to grow by 700 per year on average. Looking back over the last 10 or so years, our annual population growth has been (on average) 2013-2018 – 400 per year 2019-2023 – 800 per year From the 2023 Census to the 2024 population estimates, our population grew by 900 in that year alone. This all indicates that our real-world growth is tracking very close to what our population projections expected. We also regularly review these projections – however it is important to remember that short term shocks and year to year variation occurs – given the long range nature of our work, we need to plan for the trendline, not the headline. People are moving from places like Wellington, Kāpiti and Auckland due to rising house prices, congestion and a change in flexible/remote working arrangements. Domestic migrants are looking for affordable, lifestyle-focused alternatives. Our proximity to Wellington and the highway means we're appealing to these former city dwellers. We've noticed it in subdivision growth in Levin, Foxton Beach, Ōhau, and Waitārere Beach, and in an increase in residential building consents and infrastructure pressure in semi-urban and rural areas. Where are we growing and does this impact how we prioritise infrastructure investment? Census data tells us that our district had 36,696 residents across the district in March 2023. With Levin having more than half of the total district's population, we need to ensure water and wastewater service delivery is adequate and resilient for residents of today and into the future. Council has committed to spending $284m on water projects alone over the next 10 years, with a further $340m investment anticipated for the following 20 years. Significant projects include upgrades to the Levin Wastewater Treatment Plant and building a more resilient water supply for Levin and Ōhau, with major investment committed to projects across the district. Horowhenua District's Population as of 2023 Census data Levin – 19,539 Rural – 4,491 Foxton – 3,384 Waitārere-Waikawa-Hōkio - 3,342 Ōhau -Manakau** - 2,262 Foxton Beach – 2,130 Shannon – 1,548 TOTAL – 36,696 *Hokio Beach is split between Waitārere and Waikawa for SA2 (Census Unit) purposes, we have grouped into a single unit. **Ōhau-Manakau is a single SA2 (Census Unit) From 2018-2023 we've seen the biggest percentage change in the 15-29 year age group at 31%, 65+ age group at 28%, 30-64 age group at 19% and under 15's changed by 15%. Is it just population growth, or are we also seeing economic growth? The two go hand-in-hand. As a district we've experienced consistent growth in both new and existing businesses since 2018. This has been driven by a combination of entrepreneurship, infrastructure investment, industrial expansion, and coordinated support from Council and economic development agency The Horowhenua Company Limited. The district has benefited from diversification, modern business park development, and targeted efforts to build workforce capability and attract private investment. What's Council doing about growth? Council has prepared the Horowhenua Growth Strategy 2040, which sets out where we expect to grow over this period. It covers urban growth areas for both housing and business – but land needs to be rezoned under the District Plan before development can occur (e.g. change the zoning from Rural to Residential) – so the growth strategy is pretty high level. We have started rezoning land already, with Tara-Ika rezoned to allow development last year and a proposal to rezone land in the north-west Levin area currently underway. When planning urban growth areas, we consider things like infrastructure requirements, transport links, environmental suitability, and community amenities—doing our best to ensure growth is coordinated rather than reactive. Council is required by the National Policy Statement for Urban Development to provide sufficient zoned and serviced land to meet demand for housing and business land – the Growth Strategy, the District Plan, and other key Council documents like the Infrastructure Strategy and Long Term Plan help us to do this. We are aware the Government announced a 'stop work' notice on District Plan changes last week – with a few exemptions. This announcement does impact some of the growth-related plan changes we were intending to do and may impact our ability to enable development in the way needed to support growth. However, this announcement is very fresh and we are awaiting further details and direction to understand how this will impact our work, including whether the exemptions will apply to this work. We don't build houses, but we help create the conditions for housing supply to meet demand. This includes rezoning land to allow for housing or mixed use, working with developers and iwi/hapū to bring land to market, improving consent processes and development guidance, advocating for central government investment in housing and infrastructure, and planning and delivering infrastructure projects. We prioritise infrastructure investment through our Long Term Plan, with a focus on: Expanding and upgrading water and wastewater systems Strengthening transport networks and connectivity Future-proofing community facilities like libraries, pools, and recreation areas We may be in our awkward teenager phase, but Council doesn't prepare for growth alone. We engage with and listen to you, our community, to help guide our decision making. We work with government agencies like Waka Kotahi NZTA, Kāinga Ora and the Ministry for the Environment. We engage Iwi/hapū to ensure mana whenua aspirations are reflected in planning and we work with the likes of developers, schools, the Ministry of Health and community providers to align services and infrastructure with growth. What does growth mean for all of us? A growing district brings both pros and cons. The benefits include: A larger rating base As more homes are built, the total rates burden is shared by more ratepayers, which can help reduce the impact on existing households in the long run. A stronger local economy More people means more spending in local shops, cafes, and services—helping our businesses grow and supporting local jobs. Better infrastructure funding Growth unlocks access to central government and developer funding for key infrastructure projects—roads, pipes, parks, and community facilities—that might not otherwise be affordable – the more people per pipe to share the costs, the more affordable. We might also get improved services by other infrastructure providers – such as more schools, or a public transport system. More housing choice Growth encourages more housing supply, including smaller homes, retirement options, and rental choices—helping to ease pressure on the housing market over time. Vibrant communities New families, businesses, and community groups bring fresh energy and ideas, making Horowhenua an even more vibrant and connected place to live. The challenges of growth that need to be navigated are: Upfront infrastructure costs To prepare for more people, we often need to invest in roads, pipes, and services before the growth fully arrives. That can feel unfair if you're already paying rates and struggling with costs, but in Horowhenua we have development contributions, which means the 30% of total expenditure that relates to growth is paid for not by current ratepayers, but by developers and people subdividing or building new homes in the district who will benefit from the infrastructure that's required to support that growth. Pressure on services Rapid growth can strain existing services—like waste collection, libraries, roads, and stormwater—if we don't plan carefully. Changing character Growth can bring change to neighbourhoods, landscapes, and how places feel. That change can be exciting—or unsettling. Uncertainty It can be difficult to predict the exact when, where, and what type of growth – factors outside of Council's control (like market forces, interest rates, and central government policy) could cause growth to happen more quickly or more slowly than we expect, or limit the actions Council can take to keep up with growth. To counteract this, we regularly review growth projections and are improving monitoring of development uptake. This means we can adjust our approach if needed – such as speeding projects up or slowing them down. However, the Government's direction to 'stop work' on plan changes puts us at risk of being unable to keep up with demand for housing and business land. We are awaiting further detail from the Government about this. Have you noticed a change in traffic congestion, available GP appointments, the lead in time required to enrol the kids in a local school, or perhaps more options to eat out at night? Much like a caring parent, who's navigating the angsty teenage years, as kaitiaki we want to make sure that Horowhenua is not just prepared for growth and our next 'life stage', but that with clever strategic planning, collaborative partnerships and our community's best interests at heart, in years to come we will look back and be proud of the decisions we've made and the work we've done to shape our district. We'll be discussing growth among other things tonight in a Facebook Live session - feel free to join us and share any questions you may have, and we will do our best to answer them.

Fast-Track On Track To Help Deliver Infrastructure
Fast-Track On Track To Help Deliver Infrastructure

Scoop

time12 hours ago

  • Scoop

Fast-Track On Track To Help Deliver Infrastructure

It's been nearly six months since the Fast-track Approvals system opened for business, and updated statistics show the one-stop shop is on track to make it quicker and easier to build the projects New Zealand needs for economic growth, RMA Reform and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say. 'The Fast-track Approvals Act, part of the coalition agreement between National and NZ First, was signed into law just before Christmas and opened for project applications on 7 February this year,' Mr Bishop says. 'The Act helps cut through the tangle of red and green tape and the jumble of approvals processes that has, until now, held New Zealand back from much-needed economic growth. 'In Fast-track's first six months, more than 50 projects have made applications. We expect the first eight projects to have completed the full end-to-end Fast-track process including final consent decisions by the end of this year.' Projects before Expert Panels 'The Fast-track Approvals Act contains a list of 149 projects which, from 7 February, have been able to apply to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for consideration by an expert panel. The expert panels consider each application, decide whether or not each project receives approval, and attach any necessary conditions to those approvals,' Mr Bishop says. 'Since 7 February when the Fast-track one-stop shop approvals regime officially opened for project applications, we've seen good progress for a range of applications for projects that, if approved, will help address our infrastructure deficit, housing crisis, and energy shortage, instead of tying essential projects up in knots for years at a time as so often happens under the RMA. 'Eight projects are now before expert panels for consideration, with the first expert panels' final decisions expected by mid-September this year. These projects, if approved, will contribute billions of dollars to New Zealand's economy and create thousands of jobs.' Projects before the Panel Convenor 'The Panel Convenor will shortly establish expert panels for a further six projects that have lodged substantive applications,' Mr Jones says. 'Projects currently before the Panel Convenor include expansions to Kings Quarry and Drury Quarry. These quarries provide much-needed aggregate which supports the construction of major infrastructure projects. 'It is heartening to see applications for mining and quarrying projects working their way through the system.' Project referrals 'Projects not listed in the Act can also apply for referral into the Fast-track process,' Mr Bishop says. 'These applications go first to me as Infrastructure Minister for consideration, which includes inviting written comments from the Minister for the Environment and any other Ministers with relevant portfolios, before deciding whether to refer the project for Fast-track. 'To date I have referred seven projects to the Fast-track process, meaning they can now submit substantive applications to the EPA. 'The latest three referrals are Stage 2 of the Auckland Surf Park community which would include a large artificial intelligence data centre, a residential development of about 400 homes, and a village centre; the Waitākere District Court's new courthouse project; and The Point Mission Bay which would see 252 new retirement homes and amenities for residents and visitors. 'Other projects have also applied to me for referral into Fast-track, including from the renewable energy, housing and infrastructure sectors. 16 of these applications are under consideration or being circulated to other Ministers for feedback. Decisions will be made in due course.' Note: Fast-track project statuses to date: Expert Panels are currently considering: · Bledisloe North wharf and Fergusson North Berth Extension · Delmore (residential) · Maitahi Village (residential) · Milldale (residential development) · Tekapo Power Scheme (power scheme consent renewal) · Waihi North (mining extension) · Drury Metropolitan centre · Sunfield (residential development) Panel Convener will shortly appoint panels for: · Drury Quarry · King's Quarry extension · Rangitoopuni (residential and retirement units) · Ryans Road (industrial subdivision). · Stella Passage (wharf extension and related work) · Taranaki VTM (seabed mining) Six projects have been 'referred' into the Fast-track process by the Minister for Infrastructure: · Auckland Surf Park · Waitākere District Court – New Courthouse Project · The Point Mission Bay (retirement village) · Ashbourne (residential and retirement units) · Ayrburn Screen Hub · Gordonton Country Estate Development · Grampians Solar Project

New Plymouth District Council credits property owners $3.1 million to fix rates bungle
New Plymouth District Council credits property owners $3.1 million to fix rates bungle

RNZ News

time17 hours ago

  • RNZ News

New Plymouth District Council credits property owners $3.1 million to fix rates bungle

New Plymouth District Council chief executive Gareth Green. Photo: Taupō District Council / Supplied New Plymouth councillors have agreed to credit residential ratepayers an average of $102 each after a gaffe in its annual plan meant property owners faced a 12.8 percent rates hike rather than the 9.9 percent advertised. At an extra-ordinary meeting on 22 July, councillors decided to try to find $3.1 million in savings to absorb the cost of the mistake. In a chamber filled with members of the New Plymouth Ratepayers Alliance wearing black T-shirts with "Respect Our Rates" emblazoned on them, council chief executive Gareth Green kicked proceedings off with a lengthy apology. "I stand before you today to introduce this paper for your decision making, but more importantly to own on behalf of this organisation an error which has let each of you, the community and ourselves down. "Standing here having to introduce this matter brings me no joy, however, as your chief executive it is my responsibility to own what is a significant failing of this organisation." The residential rates error was discovered as part of an internal review called for following an earlier GST bungle which could've cost council $20 million in lost revenue. The GST mistake - which had been characterised as a "typo" and "cut and paste" error - was corrected earlier this month. As well as ironing out the average residential rates glitch, councillors also corrected an annual plan wording error relating to industrial water use which could've cost council a further $1.4 million in lost revenue. An external Simpson Grierson review, which ran concurrently with the internal investigation, found council lacked financial reporting and modelling capability which "strongly suggests a need for training, and possibly recruitment / restructure and training". Green was not sure exactly how the rates error occurred but said it involved an incorrect assumption about the average value of residential land. "I put it into the context that there was a lot of pressure about getting rates down and being able to keep them down and that potentially could've contributed. "We were going through a restructure process which adds stress and pressure into any organisation and there were a lot of other processes going on nationally and locally at the time. "Just like in the airline sector a plane doesn't crash because one engine stops, it does when a number of things line up and we had a number of things lining up here which created this issue." Councillors had to decide whether to offer the automatic rates remission, go ahead and charge the full 12.8 percent or initiate a Rates Replacement Proposal to increase the commercial / industrial differential rate for 2025/26 which would've required a round of consultation. New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin Mayor Neil Holdom's recommended councillors opt for the rates remission. He acknowledged councillor Amanda Clinton-Ghodes for repeatedly raising the issue of risk when council lost two senior finance leaders - one through a resignation - during the restructure period. "Today's meeting is about transparency and finding a way forward. We've published the details of the errors and the external report including a suite of recommendations developed to ensure we are legally compliant and square these issues with the community in a fully transparent manner. The motion before you does that." Deputy mayor David Bublitz said corrosion of the public trust the gaffes caused couldn't be overstated. "The first thing we have to do is restore the trust of the public and we restore the trust of the public by doing what we said we were going to do which is rate them at the right number. "We've got no choice. We then need to ... whoever is back [after the local body elections] ... needs to work hard to ensure that our council is a little bit leaner, a little bit more efficient and a little bit more innovative, so we can make that money back. We have to get it back." Councillor Murray Chong wanted to be done with it and charge the full 12.8 percent. "The real rate is 12.8 percent. That's it. We weren't being honest or we didn't realise we weren't being honest, but it wasn't 9.9 percent at all. "So what do we do? Do we give you a remission or do we face the reality and pay it this year because the reality is because if we don't pay it this year we will have to pay it next year or we make cuts and how are we going to make cuts? We already tried to make cuts." Chong didn't believe $3.1 million in savings could be found before June next year so council would end up borrowing to pay the shortfall. Outgoing councillor Anneka Carlson-Matthews admitted she didn't often agree with councillor Chong, but she wasn't comfortable with lumping more debt on the incoming council either. "To be fair I can't leave in good faith with a $3.1 million deficit for the [incoming] council on our mistake. That doesn't sit well. "All the talk about us being able to find it [the money] and we're going to cut service levels and we're going to reign [spending] in. We reigned it in. "And we heard from the CEO today that part of that reigning it in and restructure - which was great and we saved $10 million - was actually part of potentially why we're in the situation we are now." Carlson-Matthews didn't believe council could find the savings without making significant sacrifices. Councillors voted 13-2 in favour of the rates remission. Rates bills for the first of four quarterly instalments were expected to be sent out at the end of this month as normal. The amount owed showing on the bill would reflect the resolution in adopting the Annual Plan, but an "adjustment" or credit would be applied to each bill to reflect the decision made by the council on 22 July. The credit would be spread across the year.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store